


Grief

by Dolimir



Category: Smallville
Genre: Gen, Pathos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-05-08
Updated: 2012-05-08
Packaged: 2017-11-05 00:50:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 512
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/400070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dolimir/pseuds/Dolimir
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lex is there for Clark when no one else is.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Grief

Lex found him sitting on a park bench, simply staring at the surface of the little pond. According to security, he’d been there for eight hours. When they asked him questions, he answered either yes or no in a flat monotone voice. If the question was more complex, he simply ignored them. 

The first thing Lex had done was try to locate Lois, but she was on assignment in Europe and Chloe was on her honeymoon somewhere in the wilds of the Outback. He supposed he could’ve called Bruce, but Lex was pretty sure Clark didn’t need Bruce’s form of sympathy. 

Not knowing what else to do, Lex sat on the bench beside his nemesis. Clark didn’t acknowledge his presence for nearly a half hour. 

“Cassandra told me I’d outlive everyone I’ve ever loved,” he finally said in a raw whisper. 

“Knowing something doesn’t necessarily help you prepare.” Lex felt like an idiot, but could tell by the way Clark nodded that he understood what Lex was trying to convey. 

Clark turned his gaze back toward the pond, and so Lex continued to wait patiently, not intruding on the other man’s grief, but simply being there. As the minutes ticked by, marking time, Clark started rocking back and forth ever so slightly. 

“The stars are not wanted now: put out every one; Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun; Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood. For nothing now can ever come to any good,” Lex recited softly.* 

Like a dog expecting to be kicked, Clark slowly lowered his head onto Lex’s lap. Lex ran his hand through Clark’s hair, gently scratching his scalp, and ignoring the fact that his pant leg was slowly becoming soaked. 

How many times had he wished total devastation on Clark over the years? But now that Clark had suffered the ultimate loss, Lex found he couldn’t take any pleasure in Clark’s pain. Instead, he wanted to bundle him up in front of a fire and let him sleep, to protect him from the callousness of the world’s eyes.

Irony was a cruel mistress. 

Instead, he sat by the shallow pond in the heart of the city and waited. Clark would eventually step away from the emptiness currently consuming him for he was too much of a hero to indulge in his grief at the expense of others. 

Would he be too ashamed to look Lex in the eye or would he be angry at himself for letting Lex see him so vulnerable?

Lex felt Clark’s gaze upon him and looked down at the face now turned toward his. His eyes were puffy, shimmering with tears, making him look like he was fifteen again. 

“You’re not alone,” Lex finally said. 

Clark sat up and brushed his lips over Lex’s, not with passion, not with anger, but in simple gratitude.

Lex brushed a stray curl out of Clark’s eyes and gently cupped the side of his face. “Come on, Clark. Let’s go home.”

 

*-*-*-*-*-*

* _Stop All the Clocks, Cut Off the Telephone_ by W. H. Auden


End file.
